What a Mass

Available for 23 days

Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (c.1525-1594) was one of the most influential composers in European classical music. With his countless masses, motets and madrigals, infused with a deep sense of spirituality and musical beauty, Palestrina was named the 'Saviour of Church Music' at a revolutionary time when Rome was rewriting the rules of music composition. But what do we know about this mysterious character, between historical fact and hagiographic myth? Donald Macleod follows the clues, to try and reconstruct the story of a fascinating composer, on the (approximately) 500th anniversary of his birth. In this second episode, as young Palestrina makes a name for himself in Rome, Donald Macleod opens the venerable score of the Mass which is considered to have marked a turning point in music history. Missa Ecce sacerdos magnus from Missarum liber primus (First Book of Masses) III. Sanctus Coro polifonico dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia Roberto Gabbiani, conductor Quam pulchri sunt gressus tui The King’s Singers Pulchra es, amica mea (arr Volbers for recorder ensemble) Max Volbers, Anne-Suse Enßle, Elisabeth Wirth, Felix Gutschi, Jonathan Volbers, recorders Carl Nielsen: 3 Motets, FS139 No 1, Afflictus sum Ars Nova Copenhagen Paul Hillier, conductor Missa Papae Marcelli I. Kyrie II. Gloria The Tallis Scholars Peter Phillips, director Le Vergini (from Petrarch) from Primo libro de madrigali, a 5 voci (First Book of Madrigals, for 5 voices) Vergine bella… Vergine saggia… Akademia - Ensemble Vocal Régional de Champagne Ardenne Françoise Lasserre, conductor Vestiva i colli Les Sonadori Third Book of Lamentations Sabbato Sancto: Lectio III, Incipit oratio Ieremiae prophetae Westminster Cathedral Choir Martin Baker, conductor Presenter by Donald Macleod Produced by Julien Rosa A BBC Audio Wales & West production for BBC Radio 3